This proposalseekstoprovidecontinuedsupportfor the New YorkState EmergingInfectionsProgram (NYSEIP). The NewYork State Departmentof Health(NYSDOH), in conjunctionwiththe Universityof Rochester(U of R) andthe NewYork City Departmentof Healthand MentalHygiene(NYCDOHMH), will conductactive,population-basedsurveillanceactivities;appliedpublichealthepidemiologicand laboratory projects;and implementandevaluatepreventioninterventiopnrojectsfor emerging infectiousdiseases.The NYSEIP willcontinueto conductactivelaboratory-basedsurveillancefor the corebacterialorganisms(7 FoodNetand 5 ABC), 2 parasiticorganisms,andpertussis.An expansionof the catchmentarea for foodbomepathogensis proposed,in additiontoexpansionof Streptococcuspneumoniaesurveillance activitiesinthe BuffaloMSA. The programalsoproposesto conducta varietyof supplementalprojectson othernewly emergingor re-emergingpathogens.These includeMRSA, severepneumonia,pediatric influenza,unexplainedencephalitis,ehrlichiosis,norovirusesand CJD. Additionally,the NYSEIP will conduct a meningococcalvaccineefficacystudy,andparticipatein PulseNetand NARMS projects. The NYSEIP will conductenhancedsurveillanceand investigationof hepatitisA, B, & C. Thisactivitywillbe expandedto includethe NYCDHMH. The NYSEIP alsoproposesto conducta groundbreakingprojecttoassessthe populationattributableriskforgeneticfactorsforinvasivepneumococcaland meningococcadl isease. The NYSEIP has significantexperiencein conductingthe proposedsurveillanceandevaluationactivities. The highlyskilledinvestigatorst,he sophisticatedcapacityof theWadsworthCenterlaboratoryfacilities,and the cooperativerelationshipsestablishedbetweenthe programand hospitals,laboratories,localhealth departments,otherhealthcareprovidersandotherState partners,insuresthatthe NYSEIP hasthe infrastructureneededto conductcoreactivitiesandproposedsupplementalprojects.In addition,the NYSEIP has thesurgecapacityand flexibilitytorespondquicklytothe emergenceof a newpathogenor evaluatean intervention.